SMM focuses on attracting more marine engineers

If size is the only criterion, the SMM organisers’ claims to be the leader are undisputed. Larger than ever, at about 90,000m² floor area in 14 spaces, including a new hall, it will house over 2,000 exhibitors and expects to attract more than 50,000 international visitors.

The organisers tell us that the exhibitors cover the range of suppliers and manufacturers, from market leaders down to innovative start-up companies, which will present products and services, including large-scale ship engineering and shipbuilding, ship outfitting and equipment supplies, cargo handling systems, maritime technologies and specialised services. The international nature of the event is reflected in no fewer than 25 national pavilions, from Argentina, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland (with two pavilions), France, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Croatia, The Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Russia, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, and a remarkable four separate pavilions from China. The importance with which the event is held in its home nation is proved by the patronage of the German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel.

As always, there will be several supporting events and conferences, with each day dedicated to one particular theme. As an encompassing theme, ‘Innovation’ will be the keyword for the entire fair. As well as the themed conferences, we understand that there will be around 150 additional workshops and symposia.

The day before the show opens, Monday 8 September, is ‘finance day’ with the SMM Ship Finance Forum. With the industry having to invest in ever more technically complex solutions, not all of which have the backing of certainty, while at the same time facing pressure on costs, obtaining finance is yet another challenge. Tuesday is given over to environmental protection, with ‘gmec’, the global maritime environmental congress (theme: ‘setting the green course’). The European industry, in particular, is facing regulatory and environmental challenges, and needs to ensure fair copetition on a level playing field for all. Wednesday is security and defence day, with the international conference on maritime security and defence Hamburg, (MS&D), which will focus icn particular on piracy, while Thursday will see the SMM Offshore Dialogue on offshore day. Billions of dollars will be invested in offshore energy over the coming decades, in oil, gas and wind, meaning that the offshore sector harbours enormous development potential for the entire industry. The final day, Friday 12 September, sees a new topic for SMM, recruiting day.

“We have been fully booked for weeks. The demand and the general interest in this event are proof of the enormous importance of SMM for both, the exhibitors and the visitors,” said Bernd Aufderheide, president and CEO Hamburg Messe und Congress.

Dr Herbert Aly, CEO and managing partner Blohm+Voss, and a member of the SMM advisory board, focusing on container shipping and shipyards, two areas in which Germany has traditionally been a major player, explained that: “Our industry has reached a critical point. The market is getting more challenging and more diversified. Anyone who wants to be part of the game in the future must take action now.”

The major sponsor of SMM is DNV GL, the largest ship and offshore classification society, which resulted from a merger of the two classification societies DNV and Germanischer Lloyd (GL). CEO of DNV GL Maritime Tor E. Svensen said: “SMM has always been a special event for us at DNV GL. Our maritime headquarters are in Hamburg and shipping has, and will continue to be, the core business of DNV GL. SMM is the perfect platform for the maritime industry to connect, exchange experiences and develop future opportunities.”

The event will cover the entire area available at Hamburg’s fair site: eleven exhibition halls (B1 to B7 and A1 to A4) plus a new hall called B8. Each hall will be dedicated to one particular field of the shipping world. Hall A1, for instance, will feature ship operation equipment, environmental technologies as well as deck equipment and cargo handling systems.

Halls A3 and A4 will accommodate exhibitors from the prime movers and propulsion systems and lubrication sectors, including such manufacturers as Caterpillar, Rolls Royce or MAN. “For MAN Diesel & Turbo SMM is the most important fair and our visitors can expect fascinating exhibits and groundbreaking technologies at our new stand,” said MAN’s Dr Jan-Dietrich Müller.

Halls B2 to B8 will feature exhibitors from the ship building, production equipment, ship outfitting, safety equipment, navigation and communication, maritime security and defence and other segments.

The show organisers are setting particular store on an innovation for the last day of the show, recruitment day. A shortage of suitably qualified and experienced personnel has been apparent in the marine industry for several years, and although numerous innovations help to reduce the manpower required onboard ship, the increasing complexity means that high-calibre personnel are required to operate and maintain the equipment. And it is not just at sea – the shore-based industry suffers from similar shortages.

To take the SMM host country Germany as an example: according to a recent survey by the German Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering Association (VSM), the German maritime industry needs around 140 new shipbuilding engineers per year. However, Germany’s six maritime engineering schools produce no more than 90 graduates annually.

The show organisers believe that companies need experts, and qualified people are looking for attractive employment opportunities: So on 12 September at SMM, ‘recruiting day’ will attempt to link up the demand and supply sides of the maritime labour market. Both Human Resources leaders from hiring companies and interested applicants will be encouraged to meet up. At the ‘maritime career market’, companies and institutes will be able to reach out and speak with skilled professionals and young applicants face-to-face.

“The shipbuilding and the offshore supply industries are in need of committed, highly qualified staff. The SMM recruiting day will provide an ideal backdrop for a fruitful dialogue with students and graduates,” said Dr Jörg Mutschler of VDMA, the German engineering industry association. Looking still further into the future, he believes it is never too early to begin interacting. “The concurrent ThinkING campaign is an excellent opportunity to engage secondary school students and open their minds for a career in fascinating technologies,” Mr Mutschler continued. Students are offered free admission on 12 September.

Qualified engineers can count on successful careers at shipyards or in the shipbuilding supply chain and with classification societies, ship model testing facilities or ship-owning companies. Apart from a solid technical and scientific background, employers are increasingly looking for skills such as foreign languages, project management and logistics expertise. At SMM, educational institutes such as universities and technical academies will showcase degree and advanced training programmes and options which can help employers and their employees be prepared and ready for the challenges of the future.

“Good shipbuilders are always in demand. Right now the industry is especially interested in highly qualified young experts with specialised knowledge. This demand will increase over the coming years,” said Wolfgang Fricke, a professor at the Hamburg-Harburg Technical University’s Institute for Ship Design and Structural Integrity. He believes that the profession of the shipbuilder is experiencing significant change. As more innovative technical components are introduced and the market increasingly focuses on specialised ships, the qualification profiles required today differ vastly from those of past years.

“Compared to a conventional job interview, the Maritime Career Market provides both sides with a relaxed setting allowing for a more extensive exchange of views,” said Prof Fricke.